Juicy Union Passionfruit, Orange & Guava
Mill Street Brew Pub

This beer appears light and cloudy, with a gentle effervescence that subsides after a few minutes. The bouquet is guava-forward with hits of citrus in the background. While the mouthfeel bears a pleasant tanginess, the taste is a bit on the sour side, as if someone was making American lemonade and only used half as much sugar as the recipe demanded (not overwhelming by any means, but certainly not subtle). This very drinkable beer would go well with a plate of nachos at the cottage on a hot summer afternoon.

473 mL can from the LCBO; coded May 27 2021 and served slightly chilled. Another graf (beer/cider blend) from Mill Street, this is at least the fourth one that I know of.

Pours foggy but translucent, with a medium golden-hued body that is initially topped with half an inch of smooth, foamy white head. It sizzles off within sixty seconds or so, quickly reduced to a filmy cap and tight collar; no lacing to speak of. Lots of guava on the nose, with passion fruit, orange and apple juice also discernible. Very fruity, very tropical; not especially beer-like, but not very cider-like, either - I'd say it smells more like a cocktail.

The flavour is an approachable mixture of juiciness, tanginess, tartness and sweetness. Orange juice, tart apple and passion fruit tang at the forefront, with the guava barrelling in by mid-sip; it has enough momentum to carry through the finish and into a juicy, tropical aftertaste with hints of lemon, orange and apple juices. Light in body, with moderate carbonation that provides a little bit of crispness to its otherwise smooth, fruit juice-like texture. Some folks might be able to drink a few of these in a row - and indeed, it might be quite refreshing outside in hot weather - but I found it a little too tart for mass consumption. The guava is also a little overdone IMO.

Final Grade: 3.46, a B-. Mill Street's Juicy Union POG is palatable enough, but a little too fruity for my tastes. I didn't exactly dislike this graf, but the concentrated guava juice was kinda overpowering for me - I wouldn't necessarily describe it as 'fake' or artificial-feeling, but it does run roughshod over everything else. A little less guava, and a little more orange/apple flavour might've resulted in a less cloying final product. Worth a look if you are a huge fan of tropical fruit-flavoured stuff, but I doubt I'll be back anytime soon.